Most suitable 32ch mobile recording rig?

[Eldhrimnir]

Hi!
I'd like some suggestions as to what gear I should get for a mobile rig for a big festival this summer. The budget is fairly tight, say 7,500$, so it wont be a really hi end rig. And it must be mobile in the sense that I have to be able to grab it under my arms and move quickly between stages.
I'll make sure all stages have mic splitters, and if possible, already connected XLR-snakes for me to hook up to.

What do you think about this setup:
4x RME Octamic II
1x Presonus Firestudio Lightpipe
(1x laptop)

This seems to be the most convenient and cheapest way to go 32 channels without being too low end, and without getting totally ruined or be in the need of a vehicle to move it around.
I might even expand the system with some API pre's from my studio if I feel the need.
Any advice or gear suggestions is greatly appreciated!
/Daniel

[pkautzsch]

I'd have thought about 4 MOTU 8pre units. They would fit into a 4U rack (or rackbag), connect via one single firewire cable to your laptop, and you'd have another 32 channels of ADAT I/O (for Octamics or other stuff) should the need arise.
Have you thought about a backup recorder?

[Eldhrimnir]

Originally Posted by pkautzsch

I'd have thought about 4 MOTU 8pre units. They would fit into a 4U rack (or rackbag), connect via one single firewire cable to your laptop, and you'd have another 32 channels of ADAT I/O (for Octamics or other stuff) should the need arise.
Have you thought about a backup recorder?

Thanks alot! That seems like a good option for sure! MOTU totally slipped my mind.
My only concern, should I choose the MOTU route, is the quality of the converters and preamps? Are they up to par with RME (I know the RME pre's are pretty dull, but still OK).
I also just noticed that there is a considerable price difference (about 1200$), which should indicate a difference in quality? I have not A-B'd the units, so I don't know. But, as you say..one FW cable is pretty convenient.
What I also remembered just now, is Mackies Onyx-series 8 ch pre w. AD conversion. Are they any good?

A backup recorder sounds like a really good idea..any suggestions?

/Daniel

[pkautzsch]

I've only heard good things about RME - but I'm doing classical with MOTU and have never found any reason to complain. Yes, they are a bit "dull" when compared to higher-end stuff, or as someone on this board put it, "clean but boring".
In live recording you got other noises and sound quality issues than your pres. Especially when you're doing festival stuff and have maybe 15 minutes to set up, you want a system that's SIMPLE. It could mean adding a connector board at the back of your rack so you don't have to dive into the rack to connect 32 channels.
There's a lot of 24ch HD recorders around (HD24 and so on) - however that means another 3U rack, and you'd still only have 24 channels. If you don't want to lug around two backup recorders, you might have to do a submix of, say, background vocals or percussion.

[matthewd]

Hi there

For this money, you might just about be in the market for a Sadie LRX2 which is a high end bit of kit and therefore ultra reliable. The footprint relative to the track count is tiny which is why I use it. You'd need 2 analogue cards for it for 32 channels although if the desks are digital, you might be able to go Madi which would be very neat indeed. Any old $300 laptop running XP will 'command' it - everything else is in the box and you can use the faders (8 of them, bankable) to trim the gains as well as balance the levels. You'd end up with a bunch of BWFs you could import into any system of choice for mixing. To do the same thing with Pro Tools, I agree you would need a large vehicle. This is hand luggage. You avoid ever having issues with drivers and third party software you have to face if you are going to use various interfaces as previously suggested. However, I am in agreement that if you go this route, the RME stuff is always very good.

Matt

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by Eldhrimnir

But, as you say..one FW cable is pretty convenient.

Your original proposal only uses one FW cable too. The Motu route means daisy chaining four Motu units (via FW).

[AdamJay]

Is a laptop a must?

How about 2x Alesis HD24XR's running in sync ($1500 each, B Stock) and 4x Presonus Digimax D8's ($450 ea.) = $4800

Also with this you could further expand as the Alesis are 24 channel so 2x gives you 48 channels.

You could always add a laptop to this as well as the Presonus Firestudio + and chain off the HD24xr's for redundancy (which is very important in mobile recording). You'd still be within budget.

[deardaddy]

I've been testing a lot of multitrack recorder for the national broadcaster I work for and here would be one solution :

- whatever pre converter you want, let say the RME Octamic as you mentionned
- the RME ADI648
- the RME Madiface
- Boom recorder software if you're on a mac laptop

ADAT output of you converters into the ADI648 which will transform the signal in MADI and then just a bnc cable to the Madiface, you end up with 64 channels.

This solution is rock solid, all our studios and OB vans are equipped with Boom recorder.

[Eldhrimnir]

Thanks for all the great advice!
I haven't had time to reply until now, but I've compiled and forwarded a few options, based on some of your suggestions, to the festival management. Now I just have to wait and see which option I'm able to pull through financially.

One question though..Is the RME ADI-648 able to act as a splitter, i.e. feed all channels out through MADI, and also record through the ADAT outs simultaneously?
That would solve the problem with a backup recording system.

/Daniel

[d_fu]

Originally Posted by Eldhrimnir

One question though..Is the RME ADI-648 able to act as a splitter, i.e. feed all channels out through MADI, and also record through the ADAT outs simultaneously?

Yes, it will do that. I also use it as digital splitter sometimes.

[Biber]

I've been testing a lot of multitrack recorder for the national broadcaster I work for and here would be one solution :

- whatever pre converter you want, let say the RME Octamic as you mentionned
- the RME ADI648
- the RME Madiface
- Boom recorder software if you're on a mac laptop

ADAT output of you converters into the ADI648 which will transform the signal in MADI and then just a bnc cable to the Madiface, you end up with 64 channels.

This solution is rock solid, all our studios and OB vans are equipped with Boom recorder.

hello deardaddy, i´m highly interested in this. Can you give us some more information about this setup? What if TC is needed?? How do you monitor?? What HDs are you using??

Thanks a lot